" data-original-title="" title="">Fraser MacPherson was well-known in western Canada and elsewhere for his brilliance—but as player, not a writer. In fact, according to MacPherson's son Guy, who wrote the excellent liner notes to From the Pen of..., his father wrote barely a dozen or so original compositions, almost all of which are included on this superlative album with performances by a who's who of well- known jazz artists from Canada and other countries.

Considering what is presented here, the obvious conclusion is that MacPherson should have written far more often—simply because he was very good at it. That is another way of saying that every number on the album is first-class, with more than enough freshness and variety to meet any listener's needs. As for the musicians, that is another testament to MacPherson's legacy, as they are among the most accomplished artists the contemporary music scene has to offer.

For example, those sitting in for MacPherson on tenor saxophone include renowned masters